O
- Obstructing the field
- Odds match
- a match in which one side has more players than the other. Generally the extra players were allowed to field as well as bat and so the bowling side had more than 11 fielders.
- Off break
- an off spin delivery which, for a right-handed bowler and a right-handed batsman, will turn from the off side to the leg side (usually into the batsman).
- Off cutter
- an off break delivery bowled by a fast or medium-pace bowler which moves into the batsman after hitting the surface. (The ball breaks from the off-side to the leg side of the batsman.)(see In-Cutter)
- Off side
- the half of the pitch in front of the batsman's body as he takes strike. For the right handed batsman this is the right half of the pitch, looking up the wicket towards the bowler, and the left half for the left handed batsman.
- Off spin
- a form of bowling in which the bowler imparts spin on the ball with the fingers as the ball is delivered, and for that reason also known as "finger spin". The usual stock delivery for an off spinner is an off break, but other off spin deliveries includes the arm ball and the doosra. The term off spinner is usually reserved for right handed bowlers who bowl in this manner. Left handers are described as orthodox or unorthodox.
- Off the mark
- when the first run is scored by a batsman, it is said that the batsman is off the mark. If a batsman gets out without scoring, it is said that the batsman failed to get off the mark.
- Off theory
- On side
- the half of the pitch behind the batsman's body as he takes strike i.e. the left half for a right-handed batsman and the right for a left-hander (also known as the leg side).
- On a length
- a delivery bowled on a good length.
- On strike
- the batsman currently facing the bowling attack is said to be on strike.
- On the up
- a batsman playing a shot, usually a drive, to a ball that is quite short and has already risen to knee height or more as the shot is played.
- One-day cricket
- an abbreviated form of the game, with just one innings per team, usually with a limited number of overs and played over one day.
- One Day International (ODI)
- a match between two national sides limited to 50 overs per innings, played over at most one day.
- One down
- a batsman who bats at No. 3, a crucial position in the team's batting innings.
- One short
- when a batsman fails to make contact with the ground beyond the popping crease, and turns back for an additional run.
- Opener
- 1. a batsman skilled at batting at the beginning of an innings, when the ball is new.
- 2. one of the bowlers who open the innings, usually the fastest bowlers in the side.
- Orthodox
- 1. shots played in the accepted "textbook" manner, and batsmen who play in this manner.
- 2. a left arm spin bowler who spins the ball with his fingers. This imparts spin in the same direction as a right-handed leg spin bowler. See: Left-arm orthodox spin.
- Out
- 1. the state of a batsman who has been dismissed.
- 2. the word sometimes spoken while raising the index finger by the umpire when answering an appeal for a wicket in the affirmative.
- Out dipper
- a dipper that curves away from the batsman before pitching.
- Outswing
- a delivery that curves away from the batsman.
- Outfield
- the part of the field lying outside the 30 yard (27 m) circle measured from the centre of the pitch or, less formally, the part of the pitch furthest from the wickets.
- Over
- the delivery of six consecutive legal balls by one bowler. Traditionally eight in Australia.
- Over rate
- the number of overs bowled per hour.
- Over the wicket
- a right-handed bowler bowling to the left of the stumps, and vice-versa for a left-handed bowler.
- Overarm
- the action of bowling with the arm swinging from behind the body over the head, releasing the ball on the down swing without bending the elbow. This type of bowling is the only type normally allowed in all official cricket matches. Compare with underarm.
- Overpitched delivery
- a delivery that is full pitched but not a yorker, bouncing just in front of the batsman. Considered a poor delivery, as it easy for the batsman to get the middle of the bat to the ball. An overpitched ball is often a half-volley.
- Overthrows also buzzers
- the scoring of extra runs due to an errant throw from a fielder. Occasionally used erroneously for any runs scored after a fielder misfields the ball. Also the throw itself.
Read more about this topic: Glossary Of Cricket Terms